According to a new rumor, Aston Villa have entered the battle to recruit an overseas defender to replace Clement Lenglet in January.
Lenglet agreed to a season-long loan from Barcelona over the summer, but there was no option or obligation to buy included in the agreement, and there’s even a chance he’ll be returning to his parent club early.
The Midlands club are expected to meet with the centre-back’s representatives to discuss terminating his contract, and with AC Milan interested in acquiring his services if that happens, there’s a good chance he’ll be leaving.
Torino’s Alessandro Buongiorno has been identified as a target after working his way up through his club’s academy to become a regular feature of their first-team (Transfermarkt – Buongiorno statistics).
With a match rating of 7.15 (WhoScored – Torino statistics), the Italy international has clearly established himself as Ivan Juric’s overall best-performing player this season, and the 24-year-old’s strong form has obviously attracted the eye of the Midlands hierarchy.
According to Roma Metropolitan Magazine (via CaughtOffside), Aston Villa are interested in signing Buongiorno before the end of the season.
West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea are also said to be interested in the defender, but he will not be cheap. Torino apparently values their behemoth at more than €30 million (£25 million), yet it remains to be seen whether any of his fans are willing to pay this amount.
With his height of 6 foot 2, Buongiorno gives a real muscular presence in the center of a backline, as he’s presently averaging 3.8 clearances, 2.9 aerial victories, and 2.5 tackles per game in Serie A (WhoScored – Buongiorno statistics).
The Turin native can also make an impact on the other end of the field, having accumulated 16 appearances, eight goals, and the same number of assists since the start of his career, with his ability to get involved both defensively and offensively making him a well-rounded player.
Emery’s left-footed target is also a versatile player, having previously played as a left-back and slightly higher up on the left side of midfield in addition to his usual role, so the fact that he can provide cover in areas other than his own will be another appealing feature to the manager.
Buongiorno, as journalist Josh Bunting describes him, is a “dominant” centre-back when it comes to winning individual battles, and while he might be a terrific addition for Aston Villa, it appears that they will face heavy competition to sign him in January.
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